Morning Briefing: Juan Soto ‘Walks Off’ the Netherlands
Good morning, Mets fans! MMO’s Brandyn Pokrass is crushing spring training coverage like he’s Juan Soto in the WBC.
Carson Benge and Francisco Alvarez had two hits apiece, Freddy Peralta made his second spring start (two earned runs in three innings, four strikeouts) and the Mets beat the Yankees 10-4 Sunday in front of 7,277 at Clover Park.
Brandyn Pokrass was at a Carlos Mendoza news conference on Sunday in Port St. Lucie, where the manager said they are aiming for Luis Robert Jr. to make his spring debut on Thursday. Mendoza also said that Brandon Waddell has shoulder fatigue and will not pitch Monday.
Pokrass also reported that Mendoza said Benge started in center field because that is a position he could play at times if he makes the team. When Mendoza was asked about Benge making the team he smiled and said “we’ll see.”
The Mets (7-5) host the Marlins (6-7) at 6:10 p.m. Monday at Clover Park. LHP Zach Thornton, who pitched to a 1.98 ERA and 0.81 WHIP in 72 2/3 innings last season at Double-A Binghamton and High-A Brooklyn, gets the start. RHP Tyler Phillips goes for Miami. The game will be broadcast on SNY and MLB Network.
World Baseball Classic Results
- Dominican Republic 12, Netherlands 1, 7 innings (Soto went 1-for-3 with a game-ending, two-run shot that invoked the “up by 10 runs or more after the seventh inning” mercy rule. He was pumped. Ex-Met Luis Severino earned the win with four innings of one-run ball.)
- Israel 5, Nicaragua 0 (Mark Vientos was 1-for-3 with a strikeout for Nicaragua.)
- Panama 4, Canada 3 (Jared Young was 1-for-5 with two strikeouts for Canada. José Ramos, a 25-year-old outfielder who the Mets signed to a minor-league contract in November, went 0-for-3 with two walks, two strikeouts and a run scored for Panama. Rubén Tejada, 36, who played his last game MLB game as a Met in 2019, had a pinch-hit, two-run single.)
- Italy 7, Great Britain 4 (Nick Morabito was a defensive replacement in right field for Italy.)
- Japan 4, Australia 3
- Cuba 7, Colombia 4
- Mexico 16, Brazil 0, 6 innings
MMO has a selection of WBC hoodies and T-shirts. Click here to upgrade your wardrobe.
Latest Mets News
RHP Robert Stock said that he has been told he needs thoracic outlet syndrome surgery and that he could be back by the end of the year. Stock, 36, looked good this spring, throwing three scoreless innings with six strikeouts for the Mets and three scoreless for Team Israel in an exhibition against the Marlins. His fastball was up to 97.9 mph.
Latest MLB News
Tarik Skubal, who originally said he would pitch once in the WBC and then return to the Tigers, is having second thoughts after having a good experience and may pitch again for Team USA.
Braves LHP Joey Wentz was carted off the field with a right leg injury after a play where he covered first base. Initial tests showed he did not suffer a serious injury.
RHP Zack Littell and the Nationals agreed to a deal, per Kiley McDaniel and Jeff Passan of ESPN. Littell, 30, went 10-8 with a 3.81 ERA over 32 starts with the Reds and Rays last year. The Nats will be his sixth franchise in nine seasons.
Latest on MMO
A lot more from Pokrass here. He was at the news conference and covered the win over the Yankees.
Johnluke Chaparro has more on the win. He tabbed prospect A.J. Ewing (1-for-3, two RBIS, stolen base) for the player of the game.
Clay Holmes, Tobias Myers, Devin Williams, Jonah Tong and Christian Scott are working on new pitches. Robert Colonna has a thorough review of it all.
Alexis Farinacci fills us in on encouraging outings from Kodai Senga and Jack Wenninger.
On This Date in Mets History
2013: David Wright‘s grand slam helps Team USA to a first-round 6-2 victory over Team Italy in the WBC.
2025: The Mets announce that Alvarez broke a hamate bone in his left hand taking batting practice. The catcher’s season debut is delayed until April 25.
Born on This Date: C.J. Nitkowski (1973).
The post Morning Briefing: Juan Soto ‘Walks Off’ the Netherlands appeared first on Metsmerized Online.